The Priestess, the Half Demon, and the Forest
by BloodStainedWhiteCat
Summary: She was a powerful Miko while he was a lowly half-demon. She was adored and respected while he was hunted and shunned. She was kind and warm-hearted while his was closed and broken. When these two opposites collided, could they complete each other or would they die hating each other?/InuXKago/semiAU
1. Chapter 1

Hello, I'm new to this fandom, this is my first time writing for Inuyasha and Kagome. So please be gentle with me.

Disclaimer: this chapter is brought to you by my lazy self. Please read at your own discretion.

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**Chapter 1**

She was a powerful Miko while he was a lowly half-demon. She was adored and respected while he was hated and feared. She was kind and warm-hearted while his was closed and broken. She was lonely out of her own fear while he was alone of his own blood. When these two opposites collided, could they complete each other or would they die hating each other?

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"The treatment is complete. She has to rest for a while and she will be okay."

The older woman smiled with awe and gratitude as she pulled her daughter from the other person's arms. She almost cried of happiness as she regarded the person who had saved his daughter's life, "Oh, thank you very much, Miko Kagome-sama! I shall give half of our harvest this month as gratitude." She said as she bowed low towards the other person.

The person was another woman; a beautiful woman. Her figure was rather short and she had long black hair that reaches her middle back, tied up in a loose ponytail. She was wearing a usual outfit for a priestess; white nagajuban, covered with white sleeveless kimono, and red hakama, red sash tied on her belly. "My pleasure, Ma'am. May the Gods guard and protect your daughter." She said with a small polite smile.

As the older woman scurried off the priestess' hut, she shouted with joy as she held the bundle in her arms, "Thank the Gods, my daughter is saved! May the Gods protect our beloved Miko!"

"Sayuri-san, has your daughter healed?" some women asked the older woman with curiosity.

The older woman nodded enthusiastically, "Oh, yes. The Miko is so generous. She was willing to accept half of my harvest this month as a repayment. My daughter is also saved from the demons."

"This Miko must be God-sent!" another woman squealed. "I mean, when you look at her, you can as if see that she was surrounded in ray of light! The Gods must've sent her to protect our village!"

"I think she must be the Goddess itself! She is so beautiful and kind-hearted! She also healed Sayuri's daughter! She must be the Goddess who came here to protect us!"

Whatever the rumor surrounding her, she didn't care. She came here by accident. She was also here not because she wanted to. She was just a girl. She was a Miko, but that was because she was skilled in becoming one—she never really wanted to become one. The truth was she really missed being an ordinary girl. She sighed in resignation and decided to go out to collect herbs for healing. The girl also brought her bow and arrows as a weapon. As she passed by, the people around her greeted her warmly with a polite smile. Some people gave her food and some children gave her flowers. She was loved and respected in this village. However, this village was not her purpose. She needed to move on if she wanted to continue her searching. But for now, she would reside in the village for a while.

At the meadow near the village, she felt the wind caressed her face as her hair danced around her. Oh, how she missed the freedom she once had. She remembered the time where she would ride on her horse, let the wind caressed her hair as she shoot her arrows into the sunset, without any care to the world as she felt the taste of freedom; so ripe in her senses. Oh, how she missed that time. But that was a long time ago. She hadn't given up on her fate just yet, but just for now, she would carry on the bumpy road—she believed that she could change her fate.

The onyx-haired girl crouched down to her knees to pick up herbs just at the edge of the forest. The villagers had warned her that this forest was dangerous, but challenge was what made her; she decided to pick herbs in the forest. There are a lot of useful herbs inside the forest. She would not miss this chance to pick them up.

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Another figure in the darkness bared his fangs as he smelled an unfamiliar scent. He was ready to pounce and scare away the person who dared set foot on his forest, but he stopped abruptly as he inhaled and took another whiff of the smell. It was slightly familiar and not at all unpleasant. It was a whiff of orchids and lavender, with a hint of winter. From the floral scent, he could guess that this person was a female. The demon inside him urged him to go and see who owned such wonderful smell, so he did.

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The girl just picked up the last herb and a few mushrooms that grew just beneath some pine trees. She eyed her herbs filled basket with a satisfied smile as she stood up to leave. She hadn't gone too far inside the forest. She only needed to turn and walk to the direction opposite her and she would find the clearing meadow she saw. Her eyes momentarily fell on a beautiful lily bushes just at the edge of the meadow. She picked them up and put them in front up her nose delicately. The smell was so wonderful, it reminded her of home. Her mother used to love lilies. She sighed wistfully as she put the lily in her basket together with the herbs. Perhaps she could go visit her grave sometimes, but not now.

As she stood up to leave, she felt it, the aura of demon just nearby. She was alert at once as she put her basket on the grass and reached for her bow and arrow. She looked around; she could feel the demon nearby, just one demon although she could feel it inevitably stronger than hers or other demons, but why wasn't it attacking?

"I know you're there." She said daringly as she put up her bow to prepare for an attack. "Show yourself!"

She could hear cracks of twigs and some movements on the trees. She braced herself for the attack, but she never expected the aura to move away from her. Her blue eyes widened. The demon ran away? Why did the demon run away? She could sense that it was almost five times stronger than her and if it wanted to hurt her, it could've cracked her like a twig just a second ago—even before she knew what happen. Why didn't it? Wasn't all demons supposed to be a heartless beast that only knows the joy of bloodshed? Why didn't it attack her and fulfill its desire? Years being a Miko, this is the very first time she experienced this; a demon that wasn't attacking when it could. There must be some secret that she didn't know about this forest. She would ask the villagers about it. But for now on, she decided to just go away from there and went back to her hut. She wouldn't take the risk of meeting the demon again. It maybe just by chance it decided to ran away, she could be in trouble if it changed its mind—although she wasn't sure if the demon really had some mind.

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"This is the half of my harvesting, Kagome-sama, as I promised." The elder woman whom she known as Sayuri gave her a whole bunch of fruits and vegetables that could last for a week.

Her eyes widened at the full content. "Oh, my… I cannot accept this, Ma'am. You need this more than I do." She said humbly as she tried to give them back.

"Oh, no, Kagome-sama. Please accept them as a token of our gratitude for saving my only daughter. We don't have anything more to give than these. If we had a donkey or horse, we would gladly give them for you, Kagome-sama. Unfortunately, we are poor people." The elder said humbly.

She quickly tried to take back her words. "Oh, no, I wasn't implying that, Ma'am."

"I know, Kagome-sama. Please just accept what we have." The elder woman said again.

She sighed as she resigned and accept the gift as a payment for healing the daughter. "Ano, can I ask you something, Ma'am?"

"Anything, Kagome-sama."

"What is really inside that forest?" She asked as she pointed to the forest where she came earlier.

The woman's face became frightened. "Oh, there is a demon there, Kagome-sama. It killed our people who went to his forest. It claimed that forest as its territory, we are too afraid to go there for it had killed its own parent." The Miko became slightly interested in this story. "It was once sealed away by a powerful priest and priestess in another land, but the seal was broken by a little girl and it found its way here."

"So, the demon wasn't originally from this forest?"

"On the contrary, the demon was born in this village. From what I heard, the villagers shunned it and its parent until it killed its own parent by pushing her from the cliff." The woman said. "Then the villagers hunted it down and it flew away to another land where he was sealed fifty years ago and freed by a little girl just about ten years ago; though no one had known the identity of the little girl. The demon then came back here, killing people in this village as a threat to not go into the forest as it claimed the forest as its own. But I don't really know the accurate story, seeing as I haven't even born when the demon even sealed."

"I see, I think I understand the story." The Miko said politely. "Well, I thank you for the information, Ma'am." The Miko said as she bowed politely.

"Are you going to hunt it down and kill it, Kagome-sama? We will be thankful if you do."

She thought for a moment before shaking her head. "It hadn't attack anyone here recently, had it? I will hunt it down some other time, but I will find out the truth about this demon first." She said. "I will not kill without a reason—even if it's a demon—and I feel that something is not right. Until I figure out what it is, I will not kill it. I will not kill anything without any rational reason, Ma'am. I hope you and your people can understand my principle."

"I see. I understand and respect your decision, Kagome-sama." The elder bowed. "You really are the true God-sent. You are so kind-hearted, even towards a lowly demon that doesn't worth your affection."

The Miko smiled. "Thank you. Please go home, it's almost dark. Your family is waiting for you."

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I really don't understand. Why didn't it kill me when it had the opportunity to do so? What made it change its mind? That is, if it even has any mind.

I looked up to the sky, gazing at the stars. I like stargazing. When I was little, when mom and dad are still alive, I and brother used to do this before we went to sleep. That was one of the childhood memories I fond of. But when mom died, dad changed. Although he loved us and still a good parent, he became stricter and overprotective. My brother and I had a hard time following his path. Even so, he still allowed us to choose our own path of what we're want to be when we grew up. With him around, I could still enjoy my freedom. When dad eventually died, following after mom, it was my brother who changed drastically. He became colder and grew distant. Eventually, we grew apart. Our once happy family became dysfunctional ever since our parents' death. My brother became the head of our clan, while I became the next heir. However, our relationship wasn't like it used to be. We used to be this ideal view of brother and sister where my brother will protect me and play with me, laughing and crying together as we got punished together, my brother would hug me tight until I stop crying. But the man now, I no longer recognize.

He is still my brother by blood. I still looked up to him. I still love him with all my heart as he is the only family I had left. But I no longer know the man I looked up to. Ever since our father's funeral, not even once he ever looked at me in the eye. We never shared a laugh or cry together anymore; we barely even talk. He was always out of town in business meeting. Whenever he was home, he would just lock himself in his study or just outright ignoring me. We never really had a conversation anymore. When he did talk to me, it was just something extremely important that he need to say it in person to me. But if it just to told me to do some chores, he would just sent a maid to said that to me; he never actually say anything to me in person. It is true that in my birthdays he will send a present, containing expensive jewelries. Amethysts, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, pearls; those are things my brother used to send to me that I eventually grown sick of it that I stopped caring or expecting anything in my birthday anymore.

But when one day he sent me a brown document containing a profile of a man—a man I don't know—and a letter that said I have to marry him in a week no matter what, I snapped. I was tired of this. I love him, I care for him. But why didn't he understand me anymore? Why couldn't he understand that I'm not his puppet—that I'm no one's puppet? I'm tired of becoming a pretty doll to my brother. He was always demanding the best of me. Even if I did my best, it seemed that it would never enough for him. I've endured it for years since my father's death. How would he know my skills were shortened if he never even there to watch me parried? How would he know about my studies being lowered if he never even bothered to see my tests? How could he expecting me to just submit into his wish on marrying a stranger that I never even met? So the second night after my brother sent me that document, I ran away. I didn't bring anything but a couple of clothes, my bow and arrows, and some money.

My mother was once a miko before she married my father. So when I was a little, my mom taught me some healing, exorcism, and purifying skills. I use those skills to make my living now. My father also taught me archery and swordsman skills. I use those skills to defend myself now.

I know my brother is a powerful man and he would no doubt search for me. That was why I never stayed in one place for long. I also realized that I need to blend in the villages where I stayed, therefore, I brought Mother's old Miko outfit that I am wearing now.

I sighed as I stare at the stars. Perhaps I should be going inside now. The air is getting cold. But first, I will greet my company.

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Author's note:

This is my first time writing for Inuyasha and Kagome pairing. I usually played with Ichigo and Rukia from Bleach, so... this is rather awkward. I replaced the character's names several times. I planned on using Ichigo and Rukia again, and that's why Kagome has problems with her older brother; I was planning to use Byakuya (_Kuchiki_ Byakuya, mind you.) as her older brother. But then I realized that using Ichigo and Rukia in this story is impossible, what with Sesshoumaru, Sango, and Miroku, and the others. I could've used Ichigo as a half-demon (I've already had the picture of him as a half demon in my mind) but then I realized some inconvenient in the story if I use them, so I changed it to Inuyasha and Kagome instead, and they fit perfectly.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot. For the sake of the story plot, Kikyou doesn't exist in this story. I was confused about her at first, about what her role should be when I first used Inuyasha and Kagome, but then I just shook my head and went, "Argh, the hell, no need to use her then." I'm sorry Kikyo's fans, I didn't mean to bash her. I just thought, instead of bashing her (I like her anyway, why would I want to bash her?), it would be better not to use her at all in the story. She wouldn't have any role in this story anyway.

And one more thing, Kagome will have some Kikyo-like qualities in this story, because in the plot, she is originally from Sengoku-jidai and she was raised by her Miko mother and grew in a dysfunctional family. She will still be the same warm, happy, cheerful, kind, friendly, intelligent, and sociable Kagome we all knew and loved, but she will be more focused, colder towards stranger, less crying, stronger, more prepared, and more independent than the Modern Kagome. Let's just say, I infused Kagome and Kikyo in this story. Aw, hell, they are the same soul anyway.

So, because this is my first time in Inuyasha Fandom, please be gentle with me and please do not flame, because I don't have any fire-hydrant. I accept con-crits (constructive criticism) with open mind, open hearts, and open arms, but I reject whatever form of flame. So, please review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
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_"Yes, like that. Pull it to your shoulder, and then shoot!" _

_A little raven-haired girl then shot her arrow, but it was shot too long from the target. Her expression dropped, "I missed." She murmured._

_Her mother picked the bow from her hand, "then you should take the arrow back, dear." She said. "Your brother will accompany you."_

_A little boy, no older than eight, looked up from his study. "Just a moment, mom. I need to finish this task. It's so difficult, I don't understand…" he trailed off._

_The father smiled assuredly, "she'll be fine. You sense nothing out here, are you? No demons will get their filthy hands on my daughter."_

_The little girl, no older than six, then took off to the woods. She bounced her way from stone to stone, chasing butterflies and bounced even deeper into the forest. When she was deeper to the woods, she sensed a faint pulse. Being a curious girl she was, she bounced deeper into the woods. She looked around in wonder, stopping every once in a while to check on something that interests her or to just stare at some flowers. _

_When she arrived to the source of the faint pulse, the little girl gasped. There was a teenage boy, looked no older than sixteen, with a pair of white dog ears on top of his head and long silver hair cascading down his back. He appeared to be sealed; his body was stuck at the tree with a sacred arrow struck on his left chest, where his heart was. He was wearing red robe and red hakama. She knew her mother always told her to stay away from demons. In the first glance, she knew this boy must be a demon. But there was something else about him. It was true he had a pair of furry dog ears, but his face looked quite human. His handsome face looked peaceful as if he was only sleeping and he appeared to be breathing quite softly. From his cute doggy ears, she could tell that the boy was part of dog demon. But she couldn't explain why he looked so human. _

_Out of curiosity, she approached the sealed demon and stared at his ears. She couldn't help it; being a little girl she was, she inevitably drawn in to cute things. Like the doggy ears, for example. When she tiptoed to catch a good glimpse of his ears, suddenly he opened his eyes. The little girl gasped and fell backwards out of surprise. The boy stared at her in question. She then noticed his eyes. His eyes were the beautiful color of the golden sun. It's hard not to notice when he had such blazing eyes. After all, she always loved the sun. For the first time, the little girl felt drawn to the beautiful eyes._

_"Who… are you?" The boy spoke._

_"I'm Kagome." She answered. "Who are you?" she asked in return, tilting her head childishly._

_The boy scowled. "How old are you?"_

_The little girl scowled when she noticed her question was being ignored. "Answer my question first!" She pouted and put her hands on her little waist._

_The boy raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you afraid of me, ojou?" He asked softly._

_"My name is Kagome, not ojou! And no, I am not afraid." She answered. The boy's eyes softened with something that the little girl called Kagome didn't understand. "What's your name?" she asked with childish curiosity._

_"Inuyasha." He answered hesitantly. _

_Kagome smiled. "Nice to meet you, Inuyasha!" She greeted and bowed formally. "Why are you stuck at the tree?" She then asked._

_At that, the boy scowled. "You do understand that I am a demon, aren't you?" he asked. "I'm like this because some priests sealed me here. If you want to live, I suggest you leave right now."_

_Kagome scowled, "that's rude! I know you're a demon, but you don't look like demons mommy had fought at all! You look like me!" She then exclaimed, not really understand what he was saying. "Why did the priests sealed you there?"_

_The boy grinned, showing her his fangs, "Because I've killed people." She went silent after that. "See? You're better get out of here, ojou, before somebody sees you with a blood-thirsty demon like me." Kagome was still a little girl, no older than six, but she could see how his blazing eyes dimmed when he called himself as 'blood-thirsty demon'. _

_Kagome's eyes softened. "Why is that arrow on your heart? It was sacred, wasn't it?" she asked._

_"What do you think, brat? This sacred arrow is the one sealed me here. Now I don't want to hurt children, so you'd better run before I figure out how to break this seal." He said again, slightly louder this time, trying to threaten her to go away._

_But instead of running away from his threats, she approached him again. "If I pull that arrow, would you be nice to me?" She asked._

_The boy's eyes widened in panic. "Are you stupid? Nobody would unseal a demon just like that! And nobody would do that just for them to be nice to you! If you do that, they would just eat you once they were free! You should just leave me alone, little girl! I'm the bad guy here!"_

_"But you worried about me just now. A bad guy wouldn't worry about me." Kagome pointed out. At that, the boy quieted and he stammered. Kagome smiled. "Don't worry, Nii-chan! I will free you in no time!" She said in cheerful innocent tone. Kagome then climbed the roots to reach the arrow on his left chest. The boy didn't move as she then gripped the arrow, then with her childish power she had, pulled it out until she thrown down to the ground. But before she met the ground, a pair of warm strong arms held her. Kagome looked up to the blazing eyes of her savior._

_"You know what you did was playing with fire, right? Little girl?" He asked, his eyes soft._

_Kagome grinned childishly. "Will the fire hurt me, Nii-chan?" she asked innocently, not really understanding the meaning of his words._

_Inuyasha then smiled softly, "No, it wouldn't. I'll protect you from the fire." He said as he tightened his hold around her. Kagome tilted her head childishly. _

_Inuyasha's ears twitched as he heard shouting from the distance. "I think your family is looking for you." He said as he put her down carefully. "You should go to them. They must be really worried about you."_

_Kagome looked up at him. "But what about you, Nii-chan?"_

_He patted her head softly, "I'll be fine. I'm a tough demon, remember? It's you I'm worried about." He said as he pushed her softly to direction where he heard the voices. "Now, go. They would be just there, looking for you." Inuyasha saw her walked to the voices then he leaped up to the high trees; still observing the little girl from above._

_He heard her murmured something like, "Onii-chan?" as she turned around but found his absence. He could smell her nervousness from above. Inuyasha smiled slightly; he didn't smell any fear or nervousness from her when he talked to her. He also watched as the little girl being picked up by a beautiful woman with raven hair and blue eyes. She must be Kagome's mother. She got the same blue eyes. _

_Kagome. Inuyasha would never forget the name, as well as the face of the owner. The beautiful little girl who had freed him from his seal. The priestess who had sealed him was a Miko. To be able to touched the arrow without being rejected would mean that she also wielded the same power if not stronger. He felt her presence when she approached. When he felt her, he felt nothing but peace. Inuyasha couldn't decipher it out, but it might have something to do with the demon inside him. It meant that she was his mate. _His mate_. He scowled at the thought. Who would want a filthy half-breed such as him?_

_Kagome was being smothered by her mother and father. He could see she also had an older brother who looked guilty. He growled silently. Why didn't his brother accompanying her when she wondered off to the woods by herself? If she'd met other demon than him, she wouldn't be able to survive for sure. Inuyasha sighed. At least now the little girl was out of danger, now that she was with her family. Inuyasha watched them for some more time until he decided it was enough._

_"Bye, Little Miko." He whispered then he leaped away. If they were really destined to meet, then he knew for sure they would cross roads at one time in life. If not in this life, then they would in another lifetime. As a demon, he knew that their souls were probably tied with a red string._

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Inuyasha once again found himself hiding his youki as he stared at the girl at the meadow. She was the same girl. He still remembered her name, his little Miko, Kagome. He didn't know what brought her here, but the fact that they once again crossed roads, strengthened his suspicion that their souls were tied together; not that he complaining. He would thank the Gods if he could have her as mate. But he couldn't, he understood. After all, who would want to be with an abomination such as himself?

The girl stopped suddenly and she called out, "I know you're there. Don't bother to hide your youki, I can still feel your presence." Inuyasha's eyes bugged out. How did she know he was there when he hid his youki? "Come on out. I don't fear you." She turned around and prepared her bow. Inuyasha felt that it was useless trying to run away like last time. So he hesitantly leaped down from the tree he sat on and on to the ground.

Kagome, had anticipating his presence, merely stared at him, waiting for him to attack. Inuyasha scowled, obviously irritated. "Well? Are you going to stand there forever or will you just shoot me and get it over with?" He asked.

The girl's eyes (such beautiful eyes) widened and lowered her weapons upon seeing him unmoving and apparently not going to attack. "Why didn't you attack?" She asked.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Why should I explain myself to you?"

Kagome stared at him incredulously. "Maybe because you've been following me all day. I also realized that you've been killing the demons approached. For that, I thank you." She said with a genuine smile. "Just tell me why you followed me."

Inuyasha's cheeks blazed. He was embarrassed for getting caught stalking her. "I—I wasn't stalking you, you wench!" He spat with crimson stained cheeks. He cursed himself for stammering.

She scowled in distaste. "That's not a polite way to address a woman, you know." She said as she smiled knowingly. "Besides, I didn't say anything about 'stalking'; I said 'following'." Inuyasha once again dumbfounded. He tried to say something but his mouth opened and closed without any sounds, making him looked like a gaping fish. Mustering any dignity he had left, he huffed and looked away. He could hear Kagome giggling quietly. "Are you hungry? I cooked rabbit soup tonight. Would you like to come for a bite?" Like the last time he met her, she always seemed to have a way to surprise him. She smiled at him as she turned her back to him to walk away, expecting him to follow her. But when she realized he didn't, she looked back at him with a questioning look. "Are you not coming?" She asked.

Inuyasha frowned with a soft look in his eyes and shook his head. "It's better for you not to be seen with me." He said as he turned and leaped away, out of her sight. He didn't see Kagome's crestfallen look at his disappearance.

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What was she thinking, inviting me civilly like that? Didn't she understand that I'm a monster? Didn't she understand that I'm a demon? Didn't she understand that I could break her like a twig just easily? Even I myself am afraid being too close to her; not because I'm afraid of her, I'm afraid for hurting her. Didn't she realize how beautiful she is? Her flawless skin would be torn just with a touch of my talons. These talons… they are too dangerous; _I_ am dangerous. I can't be around her too close. She would be hurt just being with me. I couldn't risk that. I couldn't.

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Author's note:

This is the replacement of chapter 2. As you can see, there are no longer "reiatsu" in this chapter, and I replaced them with "youki". I don't really understand what's the difference between "youki", "reiki", and "jyaki", so I'm still learning from Inuyasha wikipedia (they're somewhat useful somehow).

Anyway, please tell me what you think of this chapter in the box below. Thank you for reading and thank you for the kind words in my review box. I really appreciate them and I do not force anyone to review. See you next chapter :)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and the others are properties of Takahashi-sensei. Bleach is also properties of Kubo-sensei. Just saying.

This chapter is brought to you by Do As Infinity. Note that Do As Infinity are also not mine.

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**Chapter 3**

The next day, as she expected, she once again felt the familiar youki brushed gently against her skin. Kagome was out, fishing at the bay of the river. She was planning to fry them on a fire as a lunch. But as usual, the youki brushed closer as she lit the fire to fry her fishes. Unknowingly, she smiled. "Ah, you shouldn't be difficult like this. Why don't you come out and we can have fish as lunch." She invited gently. When there are no movements from the youki, she sighed. "Well, if you don't come out, then I might as well eat these fishes myself. Though, I'm not sure I can finish this myself. I can hear your belly rumbling just now, you know." She teased after a while.

She heard some grumbling, then a few seconds later, the trees rustled and a blur of red and silver landed in front of her. Kagome came face to face with the annoyed demon. "What's with you and your strange Miko ability?" He grumbled more to himself.

Kagome said nothing. She merely smiled cheerfully and offered him a fried fish. Inuyasha scowled as he hesitantly accepted the fish in his hand. After sniffing to make sure there were no poison, he began to, literally, devour the fish hungrily. Kagome merely shaking her head at his antics, but said nothing. They both continued it like that; eating their fish in silence without exchanging words.

Inuyasha was actually very nervous. He had many questions to ask her, but he was afraid she would push him away; like many people before her. She had no idea how was his life; what he had to do just to continue breathing. Perhaps she also endured some difficulties in life, but none would understand how it was like being him. Hunted and shunned because of the simple fact of being born. He was despised and shunned by humans and hunted by demons alike, just because of simple reason of being both. Han'you is what he was usually called. Didn't she know what he is? Would she stop caring if she did? If she already knew, why didn't she say anything? Didn't she understand? _Would_ she understand?

Noticing his stare, Kagome stopped and smiled at him. "If you want to ask something, then ask away. You won't be getting anything from me if you're planning on glaring at the back of my head all day." She said.

At that, Inuyasha blushed and turned away quickly. Embarrassed at being caught staring. "Feh," he scoffed, throwing his nose upward to another direction but her. Kagome giggled, but she said nothing more. Sometimes passed and Kagome was about to ask what he want to ask, when he beat her to it, "It's just," he began. "I don't understand. Why are you being so… nice… to me? Don't you know who I am?" He finally asked quietly, cautiously.

Kagome smiled, "Off course I do, dummy. I'm not being a Miko just because of the clothes." She said simply.

"Then why? Don't you know that I'm dangerous? Why didn't you just shoot me when you had your chance?" He asked again; this time rather harshly due to his puzzlement.

Kagome smiled gently, her eyes softened. "Then let me ask you the same thing: why didn't _you_ attack when you had your chance?" She asked. Inuyasha immediately silenced at the question. "You didn't attack me when you completely had a chance to do so. Remember when you first saw me? I know we didn't officially meet that time, but you have had your perfect chance to kill me if you wanted to. I had no idea where you are, who you are, or from where you are going to attack. I was completely blind that time, but you didn't attack. Instead, you ran away and started to protect me, along with this village—don't bother to say otherwise, I know you were killing the demons that neared this village before I can go to them." She said quickly as she saw his mouth opened in denial. The half-dog, or so she called him, only 'keh'ed and looking at another direction. "You were the one who protect me; I am only returning the favor." She said finally.

Inuyasha was left with no other words as his golden eyes softened with something akin to sadness and he looked away. "You do realize what you did is playing with fire, right?" He asked the same thing he had asked her when she unsealed him.

Kagome blinked, trying to process the familiar question and where she had heard it. "Playing with fire?" She asked back, didn't quite understand what he meant. "I am doing nothing but trying to befriend you." She said instead.

Upon hearing that, Inuyasha scowled fiercely and Kagome was taken aback. "How can you being narrow minded like that?" He harshly asked, stood up and towering over her, his golden eyes blazing angrily. "Don't you know you can get hurt? Do you know how easily I can hurt you? How can you easily trust someone you don't even know; who can potentially hurt you? You idiot!" He all but screamed his frustration.

Kagome scowled as well and she stood up. She didn't say anything as she bent down to retrieve her bow and quiver. She turned her back to him, "If that's what you want." She said simply then walked away without saying anything else. Truthfully, she was offended when he called her narrow-minded. But she understood that he tried to protect her. If she heard correct, he was indeed trying to protect her; but from what, she didn't know. She doesn't like being involved in mouth-fight, so she opted to just walk away. She had no doubt that he would be back when he need her and she bet he would beg her forgiveness in less than a day.

Upon seeing her walked away like other people before her, Inuyasha felt nothing but regret flowing rapidly through his artery. His first instinct was to run after her and beg for her forgiveness, but his pride had something else to say. He decided to just let her be. After all, he reasoned, it would be better if he kept his distance. Getting her hurt is the last thing he want to do; it wasn't in his list to do so.

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It was already noon the next day and Kagome was retrieving her basket filled with herbs. She hadn't seen the half-dog since she left him yesterday, but she shrugged it off; thinking that he would appear anytime when she was alone to beg for her forgiveness. Not that she hadn't forgiven him already. She had forgiven him yesterday; he just needs to ask for forgiveness to know that. She smiled smugly at that thought. That half-dog certainly had some pride.

"Lady Kagome, why are you smiling?" A little girl asked.

Kagome smiled charmingly at the child. "Nothing, Ayumi. Why don't you join the others?" She said as she pushed the little girl named Ayumi gently to the direction where her friends are playing.

"Lady Kagome!" Kagome turned at another childish voice. "Look what we got! We've brought you some healing herbs, Lady Kagome!" A little boy, not older than seven, ran as he brought the bundles of herbs in his arms protectively and presented them to Kagome as if they were made of gold.

"That's lovely, Gengoro. You've found it." Kagome said with a charming smile as she took the herbs from the boy's arms and put them inside her basket. She smiled as she looked inside it. It was filled with many cooking herbs and healing herbs that Kagome could smell the lovely scent of herbs from miles away. She always liked the task of searching herbs."All right, you can go with your other friends." She said gently to the boy and his friends.

Kagome stared at the meadow. She smiled gently; she was surrounded by little children as they played and laughed. She took a deep breath, feeling something akin to bliss filling her entire body. The little girls were pulling her hands, asking her to go play with them. Kagome allowed herself to be pulled and she stood up as she could feel the familiar youki brushed against her skin. Kagome stopped suddenly. She knew who that is and from the height of it, he was undoubtedly fighting. Kagome felt another youki she didn't recognize, and it was unexpectedly strong; perhaps even stronger than the half-dog.

"What's wrong, Lady Kagome?" She heard a little girl asked.

She quickly scanned the children around her. "Children," She called, and the children stopped doing whatever they did to listen to her. "Would you mind bringing this basket back to the village and stay there?" She asked as she politely gave her herbs-filled basket to one of them.

"Where are you going, Lady Kagome?" A little girl with flowers in her hands asked. "Is there a demon around here?" she asked.

Kagome grabbed her bow and quiver, "Yes, there's a demon not too far from here. I am going to fight it with a friend and kill it. I don't want to keep him waiting. He could be in trouble now. Please go back to the village where it's safe, and warn everyone not to come out of their huts until I return."

"Yes, Lady Kagome!" Seeing the children obeyed to her wishes and ran towards the village in a hurry, Kagome narrowed her eyes in concentration as she placed a barrier around the village, just in case she couldn't defeat the demon. Then she quickly ran towards where the half-dog and his opponent's youki came from. She ran towards the place, deep inside the forest, preparing her arrow to help the half-dog.

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Inuyasha was having a hard time keeping up with his brother. He was too fast for his liking; and he wasn't even using his sword! Inuyasha got up as he held his abdomen, where his brother had landed a strike, as blood come streaming from the new wound. His fire-rat robes were torn in several places where his older brother had struck him with his claws and a stream of blood flowed down of his silver hair on to his forehead and on to his chin, dripping to the ground below and not stopping; staining his white silver hair with blood red. A deep gash was made along his left arm and was bleeding profusely. He coughed up blood and held his abdomen. He suspected he had a few broken ribs from his brother had landed a strike and was bleeding internally. If his brother didn't kill him now, he might as well bleed to death.

"I will ask again, Inuyasha. Where is the location of father's tomb?" Inuyasha heard him ask. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the familiar passive face of his older brother. They were born from the same father, but different mothers. His older brother had been trying to kill him ever since he could remember.

He appeared human, but his pointy ears told otherwise. In his humanoid form, he appeared like twenty year old human when he actually had lived for more than 300 years. Like him, the older brother of his also had the silver hair and golden eyes of their father. Perhaps those two things would be the only resemblances between both of them and the only sign that they were brothers; seeing that, unlike him, his older brother was a full demon. Youkai, they called him. Inuyasha had always been intimidated towards him. With a pair of red stripes above each of his collarbones and a mark of blue crescent moon on his forehead, his older brother always had the air of noble aristocrat around him. He always wore the expensive-looking white kimono with red sakura patterns along the sleeves and collar, covered with armor; indicating that he was of royal blood. A fluffy white thing that dog demons used to call 'moko-moko' was cascading down from his right shoulder. He was well respected and feared among all demons, as he was the one ruled over the western lands that he inherited from their father, and he was well-known among humans and demons of being a ruthless killer demon.

Inuyasha gritted his teeth upon hearing his question, "How would I know? I barely even know him, _brother_." He said through gritted teeth, seeing his older brother's face grew disgusted on that word. "Just go and kill me, Sesshoumaru. What's keeping you?" He asked with a bloody smirk, calling his name.

Sesshoumaru's face was passive, as always, as he prepared his claws, stained from his little brother's blood. "Very well, if that's what you wish, Inuyasha. Since you no longer have any use for me, I will erase your existence from this world." He said as his claws glowed green. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. He knew what that technique was, since he already experienced the pain it caused; Dokkaso, his older brother's deathly attack. In his real dog form, Sesshoumaru's saliva contained deathly poison. In this humanoid form, this Dokkaso attack pouring his poison to his claws, melting everything that came in contact with his claws. Inuyasha had already been experienced the deathly attack, he almost died when that attack pierced his stomach. But now, it's different.

"Be content, Inuyasha, as you will no longer became an outcast anymore once you have died. In fact, be content since no one will shed a tear in your depart." Inuyasha scowled. Sesshoumaru always knew that being alone was one of his weaknesses; besides that, he had many more. "Prepare to die, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru bared his claws, brought them upwards to slash him.

Inuyasha clenched his eyes, ready to embrace death upon his eyes. But the attack never happened; instead Inuyasha's sharp ears caught the sound of a bow released and the sound of air pierced by an arrow. He also heard the arrow struck its target.

When Inuyasha opened his eyes, his golden eyes widened. An arrow was struck into Sesshoumaru's right shoulder, where his right arm prepared to strike. Inuyasha's eyes bugged out at the sight of the familiar arrow and the familiar pulse of purification as he smelt the scent of burnt flesh of Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru took a few steps back from him as he forcefully retracted the arrow from his shoulder without flinching, the arrowhead stained with his blood. His kimono slightly burnt and his skin around the wound also burnt badly.

A Miko? Inuyasha's eyes shone with recognition as he looked to his back. There, between the trees, clad in her daily Miko robes, Kagome stood with a fierce face with hatred shining from her blue eyes; her body pose told him that the arrow belonged to her.

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Author's Note:

Before I began my long preaching, I want to say sorry to those who noticed that in the previous chapter I used verb "reiatsu" instead of "youki". Basically, they are the same thing, and people call them with different names. In China it is called "chi", in Japan "ki", in India "chakra", and many others, but basically, they are the same thing. You know what I'm talking about, right? Oh, and the verb "reiatsu" is actually what they call it in Bleach. Please forgive this small mistake, seeing that I used to play in Bleach playground with Ichigo and Rukia. I will edit them as soon as possible. And perhaps you also noted that there are no more "reiatsu" in this chapter and I changed it into "youki". I just realized that mistake, I'm sorry.

Please review again. Thank you for your hospitality. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

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Kagome was angry. She still remembered when the last time she was angry; that was the day she ran away from her brother's mansion. This time, she was angry for another different reason. From what she overheard, those two were brothers. Perhaps the same father or mother, but definitely half-brothers. But still, she couldn't understand what is wrong with older brothers nowadays. First her older brother, wanted her to marry a stranger, and now the Inu's brother was preparing to kill him after asking where their father's tomb! She had had enough of this domestic violence!

Out of rage, she released an arrow that struck him on the right shoulder, where he had prepared his right arm to strike the half dog. Kagome was feeling strange. She realized she never asked him his name. His name was Inuyasha, that's what the youkai called him.

"Kagome, you idiot! What are you doing here?" The half-dog—or Inuyasha, apparently—yelled in panic.

"Saving your ass, dummy." She answered simply. How did he knew her name, she would find out later. Now, about the older brother. Kagome reloaded her bow with another arrow, aiming to strike his neck.

The youkai, that she overheard called Sesshoumaru, now looking at her straight on the eyes. "Onna," he said inexpressively. Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Are you friends with this Miko human, Inuyasha?" He asked Inuyasha instead. Hearing no answer, he lifted his nose in arrogant manner, "As I thought; Inuyasha, who were born from a human whore, would always find his companion along humans; by being born, you have brought nothing but disgrace upon our family."

Kagome scowled even angrier. She heard Inuyasha snarled fiercely, "Bastard…" before she released her arrow. It hit his left shoulder then. Kagome gritted her teeth; she was aiming for his neck. She once again reached her quiver for another arrow and reloaded her bow, preparing another strike.

Sesshoumaru looked on another scorching wound around the arrow's small piercing, and then looked at Kagome. Kagome scowled angrily, "Move and I will purify you where you stand." She threatened, pulling on her arrow hard.

"Try if you can, Ningen." Sesshoumaru taunted with a passive face.

Kagome gritted her teeth in rage upon his taunting and prepared for another release of an arrow. "Don't, Kagome!" She heard Inuyasha yelled before she released her arrow. The arrow hit the ground. Kagome's sapphire eyes widened as she stared upon the tall figure right in front of her. _How?_ She thought as the cold golden eyes of the demon caught hers. _He was at a good six feet away from me just a second ago. How did he move so fast?_

"Does it scare you, Ningen, upon seeing things that you don't understand?" He asked calmly. Kagome gulped; rage all drained from her brain as she registered how deep in trouble she was. He brought up his left claws to her, "Now, die." Kagome clenched her eyes shut, expecting the pain upon the youkai's strike. But it never came.

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Inuyasha was seeing red. Hurting him is one thing; hurting his mate is another story. He was quick as his claws broke the armor on Sesshomaru's left shoulder. Sesshoumaru skidded to halt a few good feet away from Kagome and Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru looked at the broken armor as he regarded his little brother, "You are fast when that woman is involved, Inuyasha." He said simply with a hint of smirk on his lips.

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, "You hurt her and not only your armor will break." He threatened darkly with his back on Kagome. His stance protecting her.

Sesshoumaru's face shifted to something akin to evil smirk. "Then perhaps she can be a tool to make you spit out where the location of father's tomb."

Inuyasha gritted his teeth, "I already said, I don't know, stupid bastard!" He yelled in rage as he charged his older brother. Sesshoumaru met him halfway. Inuyasha's claws met empty air, while Sesshoumaru's claws reached his right shoulder. "Die." He heard Sesshoumaru said while plunging his claws deeper to his right shoulder. Inuyasha winced as he felt the poison of dokkaso in his new wound. Once again, Kagome's arrow pierced Sesshoumaru's claws. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he felt the Miko's purification purifying his Dokkaso poison. "You're open!" was the only warning when Inuyasha's claws tore open his armor and through his abdomen.

Sesshoumaru leaped a few feet away from Inuyasha. He gritted his teeth at the blood gushed from his new wound. The daiyoukai glared at the couple before calling his underling as he turned around to leave, "Jaken, we're leaving." He said calmly. A small green imp carrying a strange staff appeared, "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru." It said as it followed him disappear beneath the darkness of the forest.

Seeing the danger gone, Inuyasha's body couldn't take the strain anymore as he then fell to his knees. "Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed in panic, running to him. Inuyasha's sensitive nose caught a whiff of herbs when Kagome neared him. "Don't move, I'll heal you."

"Keh, you try to heal me with your powers and I'll be purified, idiot." Inuyasha said as he clutched his bleeding abdomen.

"Who said I'll heal you with my powers?" Kagome asked sarcastically as she pulled out a small pouch from inside her garments. Inuyasha realized that that was the source of the herbs scent. Kagome brought Inuyasha down on his back and started to untie his obi and his open his red haori. "Don't get excited," Kagome said as she then carefully examined his injuries. Inuyasha just 'keh'-ed, because he did get excited. "Now this will be hurt, but try to stay still, all right?" Kagome then said as she opened the small pouch as poured some of the contents on his injuries. Inuyasha only felt a small sting of pain before the wounds then felt cooler than before. Kagome then carefully rubbed the powder-like content on all his injuries.

"Whatever that is you brought, that certainly is a good thing," Inuyasha commented.

"Really? I don't like relying on this too much because people said it hurts." She said.

"Feh," Inuyasha scoffed. "That's because weak humans like them never felt the same pain like I'm feeling. Whimpering because of a puny powder that will actually heal them—what idiots." He grumbled to himself.

Kagome smiled when she heard his words. It was as if he was siding with her, no matter how stung her medicines are. "Don't be like that. Not everyone have super powers and high speed regeneration like you have." She scolded gently as she bandaging Inuyasha's abdomen.

Inuyasha felt his cheeks heated up and he looked up away, "Keh," he scoffed again. It was a comfortable silence as Kagome worked on the powder and bandages when Inuyasha broke it, "I'm sorry." He said, barely audible.

Kagome heard it, however, and she smiled quietly. "You are already forgiven, Inuyasha."

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So his name was Inuyasha. That was a very powerful name. The Dog Forest Spirit. Whoever his parents were, they were really powerful when they were alive. But she knew he wasn't ready for past-spilling so soon. He would tell her when he was ready. Until then, she would wait. Really, knowing his name making it all easier. She didn't like have to refer to him as 'half-dog' or 'hanyou' because, really, that would be very awkward. It'd be like someone calling you 'human'.

"What are you thinking about?" Inuyasha called.

Kagome looked above and she saw the red-garbed silver-haired hanyou sitting on the branches of the Goshinboku, the God Tree. Kagome smiled and called, "Why do you want to know?" she shot back.

She heard Inuyasha grumbled to himself and she giggled quietly. She knew he could hear her. He was part dog, so she suspected he would have a sensitive nose, a pair of sharp ears (not to mention fluffy), and other enhanced powers she wouldn't have had. "If it was nothing, why are you giggling?" He called from above again.

Kagome giggled, "But I didn't recall saying anything to you yet, Inuyasha." She teased.

Inuyasha grumbled, "dammit, woman. Why are you so difficult?" He asked quietly, but she heard him.

Not a moment later, she came face to face with a crouching Inuyasha and with his face so close to her, but strangely, she didn't feel intimidated at all. She simply smiled. "Difficult of what, I-nu-ya-sha?" Kagome teased, spelling his name out loud with a bright smile.

Inuyasha was at a loss of words. He could only gape at the young woman in front of her as he felt the heat crept on his face. Kagome giggled, "You are so cute, Inuyasha." She said innocently.

More heat creeping into his face, "I am not cute, damn it!" He all but sputtered. Not knowing anything smarter to say, Inuyasha huffed sulkily and turned away from her—though he didn't move away from her side. This made Kagome's laughter even louder. Inuyasha growled in irritation, "Stop laughing already, wench!"

"I can't help it," Kagome said between laughter, but she tried to calm herself. "I mean it, Inuyasha. You are really cute." She said.

Inuyasha 'keh'-ed, and turned away to anywhere but the woman beside him. Kagome sighed in contentment and continue to collect herbs around her. After a comfortable silence, Inuyasha gathered his courage. "Why aren't you afraid of me?" Kagome stopped whatever she was doing and turned to him. His head hung low while his eyes covered by his silver bangs. Kagome felt something in her chest clench as she saw Inuyasha that way. "Why don't you just leave me and return to your happy life?" He asked.

Kagome pondered upon his question for a while before she answered, "Because I want to." She said simply, with a smile. When she looked at him again, she saw Inuyasha's eyes wide with bewilderment and disbelief, but also with a tinge of relief. Kagome smiled again, "Is it wrong, Inuyasha, if I said I want to be with you?"

Inuyasha's face became hard and he turned away, "Nobody wants to be with a filthy, lowly han'you like me." He said.

Right after he said that, he felt his long hair pulled towards his side, "Do not say such things ever again, Inuyasha!" She said sternly, with a scowl on her beautiful face. Both her hands were fisting his long silver hair. "Just because somebody says you're stupid, it doesn't mean you are! Do not let what other people thinks affect you negatively!" She said, still with a scowl. Then her face softened and she let his hair go, "I think you are the strongest and kindest person I've ever met." She said with a smile that made his heart went havoc.

Inuyasha felt heat creeping on his face again, but he felt warmth in his chest at her words. "Do you really mean it, Kagome?"

Kagome smiled, "off course I do. We're friends, aren't we? Friends are always honest with their words." She said.

"Friends?" Inuyasha looked up at her again. It's been a long time since he heard that word—something that he thought he never deserved. "You really think that? Even if later people will saw you with me and then throw rocks at you?" He asked hesitantly.

Kagome scoffed, "they can throw rocks at me, but they cannot change my mind. Believe me, nobody ever could ever since I was little."

"But you're a miko. Didn't your parents or teacher teach you that all youkai are evil and cannot be trusted?" Inuyasha asked.

"My father told me that. But my mother always said that evil or no evil is a choice. She said that even if youkai are evil, perhaps there are some who are not; just as not every human are good. I was taught to not judge people by blood, but by heart." Kagome said. "However, not everybody thinks so, since the root of the idea was planted too deep to be rid of. Simple and narrow-mindedness is common, since that is all they can understand." Kagome sighed with a frown. "That is because they have no other way to think, no other way to understand. They simply choose that what most people think is right and never questioning it. There's nothing we can do to change that." Kagome turned to Inuyasha then with a rather sad smile, "so please don't bear grudges towards those people, Inuyasha. They cannot help thinking like that, like you who cannot help being who you are."

Inuyasha just scoffed at the irony. "You can easily say that because you don't know how it's like, not to belong." He murmured softly.

"I do." At that, Inuyasha quickly turned to her. "I really do." When he saw the sad smile on her beautiful face, Inuyasha felt something in his chest clench. "When I was little, my mom said that my powers are too vast that even she can't control it. When I played with friends of my age, I often hurt them unintentionally—or intentionally, if I get really mad." She smiled. "At that age, I couldn't control my powers at all. It constantly leaked out of my body that nobody with the same power as me could get too close to me, or they will be burnt." She smiled sadly. "And when the people of my village knew that, they demanded to my father to banish me. Even as go as far to burn our house. My mother couldn't be saved at that fire."

Kagome was suddenly thrown out of her reverie as she felt herself being wrapped by a pair of strong arms into a hard warm chest. "That's enough, Kagome." He said, as Kagome heard a low soothing rumble from his chest. "I'm sorry I make you relived that horrible event. You don't have to say anything anymore."

Kagome trembled in his arms, "Don't. I—I wanted to." Kagome mumbled from his chest, her voice broken. Then his sensitive nose caught a scent of tears and he squeezed her tighter into his chest. Right then, Inuyasha promised to himself, he will do anything in his power to prevent Kagome shed blood or tears.

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Author's note:

Inuyasha is property of Takahashi-sensei. This chapter brought to you by "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perry, and I found them fitting somehow. I'm sorry if the fighting scene seemed too rush, I'm not good at making action scene, but I tried my best to get the _feel_. I hope this chapter is to your liking.

Anyway, please tell me what you think of this chapter in the box below. Thank you for reading and thank you for the kind words in my review box. I really appreciate them and I do not force anyone to review. See you next chapter :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

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It was a few days later there was news spreading that made Kagome's breath hitched. "Kagome-sama, have you heard that the troops of the North will be coming here?" Asked a young girl named Ayumi.

Upon hearing that, Kagome tried her best to smile, "Really? Whatever business they have here?" she asked, although she knew what they were coming for.

"I don't know. But kaa-chan said that they're looking for the lost princess of Northern Land." Ayumi said, didn't notice the way Kagome's face hardened. She continued picking the calla lilies. "Do you think they are nice guys, Kagome-sama?" She asked, turning to her.

Kagome faked a smile, "I wouldn't know, Ayumi-chan." When she didn't look, Kagome frowned and gulped. She needed to get out of here. The sooner, the better. "Say, Ayumi-chan, you wouldn't know when they will be here, would you?" Once again, she faked a smile.

Ayumi smiled, "Haha-ue said it will be a few days from now." Kagome breathe an inaudible relieved sigh.

Kagome looked up and saw dark cloud hovering over them. "We should go inside now, Ayumi-chan. It seems it will be raining soon. We don't want to catch a cold, do we?" Kagome said, faked a smile.

"Okay, Kagome-sama!"

Once Ayumi got up and ran from the clearing to the village, Kagome frowned. The dark cloud hovering above was not just about raining. Something was about to happen. Kagome could feel the uneasiness in her chest. Then, she felt the familiar youki approaching. Kagome smiled genuinely and turned to find Inuyasha leaped then crouched just in front of her.

"Hi, Inuyasha." She said, with a smile.

"There are groups of human troops coming this way." Inuyasha said.

Kagome's heart stopped. "Where did you see them? How long do you think they will get here?" she asked frantically. Didn't Ayumi say that they will not be here until a few more days?

Inuyasha, confused with her reaction, answered, "Just at the other side of the forest, they are camping below the hill it seems. With their pace, I'd say about four to five days." Hearing that, Kagome quickly turned away to the village, practically running. "Oi, wench! What's wrong with you? You became quite paranoid back there." He said, leaping in front of her, preventing her escape.

"I don't have time for this, Inuyasha. I'll explain to you later." Kagome said, walking past him.

Inuyasha grabbed her arm before she could get far, "Damn it, wench. Tell me what's wrong."

"I've told you, I'll explain later! We'll have plenty of time when I get out of here." She said, pulling her arm back.

Inuyasha's eyes widened and tightened his hold on her, pulling her closer, "What do you mean 'getting out of here'? Where are you going? Why are you leaving?"

"I don't know where I will be going yet. I'll explain why and how later. Please, let go. I don't have much time!" Kagome said, trying to break free from his hold.

"No, explain now. Why are you leaving? Is it because of me? Did anyone hurt you?" Inuyasha held her arm tighter, but not too tight to hurt her, and pulled her closer to him.

Kagome sighed, "Inuyasha, I hate to do this, but you gave me no choice." She flared her Miko powers and Inuyasha reflexively let her go and leaped a foot away from her. His hand tingled from where he held her, reiki from her purification power pulsed. It didn't burn his palm, but enough to make his palm tingle. Inuyasha looked at her, confused and hurt. "I promise, I'll explain everything to you later, Inuyasha. Right now I need to pack and I need to get out of here." Kagome said, turning away and running to the village, leaving the confused hanyou behind.

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"Are you sure you want to leave now, Kagome-sama? Does our house not enough? Or perhaps, our payment?"

Kagome smiled apologetically. "It's not anything like that, Tanaka-san. You have been nothing but kind to me, and there's nothing I can do to repay you. However, it is my time for me to leave. The Gods has sent a message for me; I need to go to another village that needs my service." She said, half lying. If she didn't say that, the villagers wouldn't let her go.

Tanaka, the headman, bowed in respect to the Miko. "I understand, Kagome-sama. You are a messenger of Gods. You go where you are told to go. Then, please, at least take this food and some arrows with you." He said, presenting a bundle of new arrows and a bundle of dried food. "It is not much, but I believe this will help."

Kagome smiled and bowed politely, "It will. Thank you very much, Tanaka-san. Thank you for your hospitality and for letting me stayed here, even if just for a few weeks."

"Please, we are the ones who should thank you. You have been treating the sick, helped to bring the newborns, and guarding our village from youkai. May the Gods be with you on your journey." Tanaka bowed. Kagome bowed back and turned away to leave the house.

It was cold outside, the sky was still dark, and the air and soil were damp. It was just raining. As she neared the forest, she felt Inuyasha's youki followed her. She sighed. "Come on out, Inuyasha. I promised to explain things to you, didn't I?" At that, some trees rustled and suddenly she was face to face with the scowling Inuyasha.

"Explain." He said simply.

"I will. Walk with me." She said and walked pass him, waiting for him to fall in steps with her. When she finally heard his footsteps by her side, she started, "I need to get away from here because of the troops you told me."

"What? What have they done to you? What do they want?" He asked.

"Hush and let me explain." She said and Inuyasha quieted. "Have you heard that they are the Northern troops that people were talking about?"

Inuyasha scoffed, "Sorry, I don't follow the gossips." He said, rolling his eyes. He didn't understand why humans always busied themselves with things that don't concern them.

Kagome smiled, "You're right. I forgot. Anyway, they said that these troops are from the Northern country and they are looking for their lost princess." She said.

"So? What's that got to do with you?" Inuyasha asked, not quite understand where this was going.

Kagome stopped in her tracks and Inuyasha stopped with her. "Inuyasha, I am the princess of Northern country." She said, looking at him in the eyes. His golden eyes widened. But she was not finished yet. "They are my brother's troops; he is looking for me to marry me off to some nobleman I don't know. That's why I was here now, I ran away from home."

"He was looking for you for what now?" Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears, but his ears were never wrong. "Is that the only reason you're leaving?"

"That and one more thing," She said. Her face then turned determined, "I need to find a jewel."

Now this made Inuyasha's dark eyebrows rose. "Jewel? What the hell do you need jewel for? You're already—" Realizing what he was about to say, he stopped immediately and his cheeks turned pink. _The hell? I was about to say she's beautiful? What the hell is wrong with me?_

Unfortunately she noticed his hesitation and turned with an eyebrow rose, "I already what?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"N-nothing. Forget about it." Inuyasha said, hiding his blush with a scowl. "Now tell me what you need a jewel for. You can get any jewel you want in nearby town." He said.

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "The jewel I search is not an ordinary jewel. Remember when I said that my power was overflowing that my mother couldn't seal them? I said so because she was a Miko; a powerful one. She used to guard a little pink pearl—I knew it because she showed it to me all the time. She said it was a powerful thing and if it gets to the wrong hands, bad things will happen to this world." She said, smiling at the memory. "She also said that once I'm ready, I can take her place to guard the jewel, since I'm more powerful than her. She had always wanted to pass the jewel on to me. But when she died in the fire, the jewel was gone with her remains." She glanced at Inuyasha. He appeared to be bored and not interested, but she knew he was listening by the way his doggy ears twitched to her side every time she spoke. Kagome smiled. "Since then, my father worked hard as a daimyo in another land and setting troops to find the jewel. But until now, none has succeeded."

"Wait a minute, if you are the daughter of a Daimyou, how could they kill your mother that way? Shouldn't people have respect to the Daimyou?" Inuyasha asked, noticing gaps between her story.

Kagome looked at him in the eye. "My father was not a real Daimyou by blood." Inuyasha rose an eyebrow, confused. "When he met my mother, he was only a humble hunter while my mother was a local Miko." Then she frowned, looking at the grass beneath her feet. "When I was born, things began to change. People shunned us away and finally burned our house in attempt to get us away from them. My mother didn't survive. Then father moved us away to a more prosper village. With his skills and knowledge alone, he worked hard to earn a high status. With my father in charge, the village became even more prospered and grew bigger, in territory and income. And so, he was declared the Daimyou by the local priests and now has passed the title to my brother." She explained.

"With your mother passed away," Inuyasha started carefully. "Did your family blame you for it?"

Kagome smiled, "Fortunately my father was wise enough not to. But my brother does." Her smile turned wistful. "Ever since her death, we became further apart. And it was becoming worse since my father's death. He never even looked at me in the eye." The expression on her face was making something in Inuyasha's chest clenched. He suddenly overcame with an urge to just grab her and hid her away from the world, never letting go. And it frightened him. "Why do you want to know, Inuyasha?" She asked with a small forced smile.

Inuyasha frowned with something akin to sadness in his eyes, "You can drop the politeness. You know I don't care about it, right?" He said as he turned away, unable to see the unshed tears pooling in her eyes. The only reason he had asked that was to know if she really did suffer the way he did. And now that he knew she did, it made him feel guilty. He spared a glance at the girl and her sad expression stabbed him like a dagger to the chest. "I'm sorry. It's not really my place to ask that."

Kagome shook her head, smiling wistfully, "don't be. I'm glad I can get that out of my chest."

"So, humans can actually be a Daimyou without having royal blood in them? That's new." Inuyasha said a little too loudly, changing the topic.

Kagome smiled and nodded, glad of the change of topic. "Some could, if they really have skills, if they work hard, if they are determined, and if they have good heart. If they can bring great change upon everyone else and if everybody else confirmed it. My dad worked hard for the title every day. That's why people have deep respect towards him. He was one of few who earned the title of Daimyou without royal blood." She went silent for a while before she turned to him with a curious expression. "Now that I've told you everything about my family, can I ask a few questions about yours too?"

Inuyasha scowled but he nodded anyway, just because it was fair. "Keh, fine. Ask what you want, I'll answer what I can."

Kagome smiled sweetly, "Thank you." Inuyasha turned his head away from her to hide his blush. "I'll start with an easy one. Where are they?" She asked.

"Same as yours. They died." He said simply, without looking at her.

Kagome went silent for a while before saying, "I see." It was another silence deafening his ears; he almost thought she stopped the conversation until she spoke again, "How?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath, "My mom died of illness. Don't know about my father. He died before I was born."

Kagome took a glance at him and witnessed Inuyasha look above the trees and the sky with a faraway look, with something akin to sadness in his golden eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be." He said. "At least, she's not in pain anymore." After a while, he looked at her in the eye. "I just thought that if you were there when she was ill, I'm sure you would save her."

Kagome's mouth opened slightly, half confused, half amazed. "What do you mean?"

Inuyasha took another deep breath, "My mom was a Daimyou's princess—like you. But with her marriage with my father, she was shunned by the people at the palace. Sure, she wasn't stripped from her status or kicked out from the palace, but it was as good as being exiled. Nobody talked to her, nobody helped her, and nobody interacted with her — except some loyal servants." He recalled his time then, when he was still a naïve puppy. "When she fell ill, nobody helped her. Her loyal servants tried to get some help, but nobody was willing to help us. Every time I showed up to beg them to help Mother, they just plain ignored me or beat me up." His dark eyebrows furrowed. "Until her last breath, nobody was willing to help. When she was buried, the Daimyou took it as an opportunity to kick me out of the palace. He did, and even threatened if I didn't, I would be captured and sold as a slave." Kagome gasped inaudibly, she was shocked. She never thought that human would treat other creatures so evilly. Inuyasha took another deep breath and looked at her in the eye, "that's why I said, if you were there, I know you would absolutely help us in the blink of an eye."

The gleam in his eyes stirred something in Kagome's chest. She didn't know what overcame her, but she suddenly launched herself into him and put her arms around him; burying her nose in his red-fabric-covered chest. "I would, Inuyasha. I would have. I wish I could." she said. Her voice was muffled by the fabric of his fire-rat. "I wish I was there when you suffered like that, Inuyasha. If I could, I would definitely come to you and save her." Kagome inhaled and she was greeted by the scent of forest, fresh grass, and earth.

Inuyasha was shocked. His mouth agape as he felt the warmth of the young woman surrounded him and the sweetness of her scent overcome his nose. He never felt anyone holding him like that, aside from his mother. In fact, nobody but his mother had ever held him at all. He was hesitant to hold her back, afraid of pushing her off. He just let her held him and his nose nuzzled her hair silently. After a while, he pried her arms off him and stared at her blue eyes. "It's okay. She's fine now." He said neutrally. He was saying that without a smile or a scowl, so Kagome didn't know exactly how he was feeling. Then he let go and turned to walk pass her. Kagome just stood there, watching his back.

She adjusted the strap of bag on her shoulders and walk behind him silently. "Inuyasha," He hummed in acknowledgement. "Where is the nearest village from here?" She asked.

"About two days from here to the West in this pace." He said without looking at her.

To the West. Kagome looked up to locate the sun. It was right in front of her, heading to the west. She was in the right direction. But two days in this pace, means she needs to camp for two nights. But what else could she do? Kagome took a deep breath and once again adjust the strap across her shoulder and took a step towards the West. She needed to move fast if she wanted to arrive to the next village less than two days. As she passed Inuyasha in her fast strides, she heard him said her name.

"Kagome?" Kagome turned to him. "You're going to leave me here?" He asked with a genuine hurt in his voice.

Her blue eyes widened, "You want to go with me?" She asked, genuinely confused.

Inuyasha's eyes dimmed and he furrowed his brows, "I understand if you want to go without me, but at least let me protect you, Kagome." He said, not meeting her eyes.

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed, genuinely confused. "Wait, wait. Don't just jump on to conclusions like that, Inuyasha. Do you want to go with me?" She asked.

Inuyasha looked at her in the eye. Kagome could see something akin to plea in his golden eyes, "I do."

Kagome smiled cheerily, "Then what are we waiting for?" She then turned and once again adjusted the bag strap across her shoulder. She didn't see the amazement and happiness in his eyes when she said that. "Let's go, Inuyasha! I want to arrive to the next village before two days."

"Then let me carry you." Inuyasha said suddenly. Kagome once again turned to him with questions in her blue eyes. "I can move faster than humans, so…" He trailed off, facing the ground, ashamed.

Kagome's eyes lit up. It was a great idea she didn't think of! "That's a great idea!" She exclaimed. She noticed the way Inuyasha's eyes lit up with amazement and happiness when she said that. "Why didn't I think of it before? I didn't think you'd want to come with me, so I thought it wasn't appropriate to ask you something like that." She strode to him then, "How do you want to carry me?" she asked.

Inuyasha was honestly amazed. She didn't mind him coming with her and she wasn't ashamed of him around her either. She treated him like an equal; something he wasn't used to. She wasn't even mad at him for suggesting carrying her around. Another woman would lash out at him the second he made that suggestion; for a lowly hanyou like him to touch them, let alone carry them, was something they would never allow. But this woman right in front of him said that it was a great idea and she too was about to ask him the same thing. His amazement hadn't gone yet and now she asked him how he wanted her to be carried? Inuyasha felt like he could pass out of amazement from this.

He just chuckled lowly and stared at her blue eyes in amazement. "However you want is fine." He said finally.

Kagome looked surprised, "Really? Then I'll ride your back. If you carry me in your arms, you won't be able to move as fast, will you? Besides, you will exhaust your arms quickly that way." She explained softly. "You don't mind, do you?"

Inuyasha smiled again and shook his head, "It's fine, don't worry."

He then knelt and Kagome moved behind him. She carefully swung her legs on to him to held, carefully putting her weight on him, and held on tightly around his neck. She winced a little when Inuyasha started to stand up carefully and immediately tightened her hold around his neck. "Ack, Kagome, can't breathe here." He jokingly choked.

Kagome immediately released him, making him loose his balance and almost fall. "Sorry. I'm not used to this—nobody has ever carried me like this but my father before." She said. "I guess I'm kind of nervous."

Inuyasha shifted her into a more comfortable position. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let you fall." He assured.

Kagome felt her cheeks went warm because of his words. But she wanted to tease him a little bit. "Promise?" She asked, right beside his furry ears. She felt him stiffened but then relaxed and once again tightened his hold on her.

Kagome felt her chest warmed at the real determination in his voice, "I promise I won't let you fall."

She relaxed against him then, putting her head on his shoulder. "Inuyasha…" she murmured sleepily. "You really are something else." She said with a gentle smile.

If it was someone else, Inuyasha would've taken that phrase as an insult. But it was Kagome and she was saying it with an endearing tone to it, accompanied by her head lying on his shoulder. There was no way it was an insult. Inuyasha smiled softly. "Hold on, Kagome. I'll try to make it as comfortable for you as possible without having to lessen our speed."

Kagome smiled at this. "Don't worry too much about me, Inuyasha. Just run at your usual pace." She said. He even worried about her like this. Inuyasha was too sweet. Kagome was trying hard not to giggle at his sweetness.

"You sure? You don't know how fast I can be, Kagome." Inuyasha crouched to leap. "Hold on tight," As Kagome tightened his hold around his neck, Inuyasha made a leap to the highest branch of the nearest tree.

Kagome exclaimed in surprise as soon he reached the highest branch, "Inuyasha!" immediately clutching his robes for dear life. "Why didn't you warn me first before you leap? Seriously! What if I fell?"

Inuyasha tightened his hold on her again, "I've told you; I won't let you fall. I promised, didn't I? And I've told you to hold on! That's very much a warning! Seriously, woman, if I have to warn you step by step, how long do you think we're going to reach the next village?"

Kagome pouted but knowing he was right, she didn't say anything against him. "Fine." She settled herself against him, trying to hold on tight.

"Okay, hold on tight." That's the only warning she got until he leaped from branch to branch, from stone to boulder. He sprinted through the ground and grass easily and nimbly; maneuvering through the trees and boulders with accurate precision.

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Author's note:

Why do I feel they are so OOC in this? AAAAARRGGHH~~ Kagome and Inuyasha are too OOC! DX Anyway, I've given you some background to Kagome's identity and the reason for her personality.

I'm going to warn you again that Kagome will have some Kikyou's qualities in this stories, since she grew as both a Miko and a princess. She will have blue eyes, since Takahashi-sensei drew her with blue/grey eyes in the manga. (Off topic: Rukia in Bleach also have blue/grey eyes in the manga, but she has violet eyes in anime) Inuyasha will act more rationally (_soooooo_ not Inuyasha, but forgive me for trying to make him look _cool_) but he'll be as aggressive as he is in the anime/manga and as calm as he is after he and Kagome separated in anime/manga time-flow. About Sesshoumaru-sama... I didn't think about him at all, actually. *stabbed by bakusaiga*

Plots and problems will come in time. But it is not yet, so, Naraku, Byakuya, Sesshoumaru, please step in line first before you barged in the setting! Yes, I'm talking to you, Naraku!  
Naraku: Tch, this woman is irritating me. Why do I have to listen to you, wench?  
Byakuya: You don't look that strong to order us around. And what is this role you've given me anyway?  
Author: Please be patient. Naraku, as usual, your role is the villain with Byakuya as your pawn.  
Naraku: I don't need you to tell me that, wench. I know my role.  
Author: And Sesshoumaru, you will have the most important role.  
Jaken: Off course, he will! He is the mighty Lord Sesshoumaru!  
Sesshoumaru: Jaken. Be quiet.  
Jaken: Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama.  
Byakuya: Wench, you haven't asnwered my question!


End file.
